Can You Solve the Mystery?

I discovered this script while preparing for theCoastal Carolina University writing course I teach this Wednesday. I think it has a message for us all. So fellow travelers (family, neighbors, authors, speakers, strangers and friends) on this journey to experience Your Refreshed Life… read this script and see if you can solve the mystery.

Imagine This

By Doug Peterson

Cast- Johnny (J), Simon (S), Stranger (ST), Author, Conductor, Narrator

(J)  Do you think we should turn ourselves in? (J looks nervously out the window)

(S)  Are you crazy?

(J)  No, I just-I just have this funny feeling we shouldn’t have stolen that money from your brother. I think the Author of this story is upset about what we did.

(S, snorting) Here we go again with your ridiculous notion about the Author.

(J) What about it?

(S) Well, First of all I don’t really believe there is such a thing as an Author of this story, or any other story. And secondly-

(J) But every story has an Author, doesn’t it? I mean how else could we become characters in the novel if we weren’t created by an Author? Tell me that! And where on earth did our words come from in the first place? Why, we wouldn’t even be alive if…

(S) It’s simple. We evolved. Back in the early chapters of this story, there only existed two letter words. But then suddenly through mutations, the two letter words evolved into five letter words. It’s elementary science.

(J) Just like that? They became two letter words just like that?

(S) It didn’t happen instantly. It took thousands and thousands of pages for them to evolve. And eventually these two letter words evolved into complicated characters like us.

(J) We evolved from two letter words?! So where did the two letter words come from? Didn’t there have to be an Author to CREATE the two letter words?

(S) Listen, Johnny, there is a logical explanation for everything without resorting to some ancient myth about an Author. This story resulted from the Big Bang. You see, back on page one at the beginning of time, there was a huge explosion in a printing room. And all the letters in the printing room went flinging against the pages of paper. That was how the first words were created.

(J) But how could a printing room explosion result in a story that made any sense? I don’t –
(Man @far end of train-Stranger (ST)- lowers paper and looks @ J and S. Stranger puts down paper and approaches.)

(J) Good grief, somebody’s been watching us, and I’m afraid he’s police.

(Stranger sits directly behind J and S and speaks to them in a whisper)
(ST) Simon, the Author of this story is not pleased that you stole the money from your brother. I strongly suggest that you return to Avondale, give back the money, and repent… never do this again.

(S, smiling nervously) I don’t know what you’re talking about. And I’m sick of all this talk about an imaginary Author.

(ST) But there IS an Author to every story, and he cares what you do. Please, turn back.

(J) I think maybe we should listen to the guy.

(S, now scowling) Well, I think maybe this guy should mind his own business. As a secular humanist, I don’t believe in an Author. And even if an Author did exist, he doesn’t care what happens to us. He just put this story in motion and lets it run without interference.

(ST) Believe me, Simon. The Author cares. You must turn back.

(S) Listen Buddy, if the Author really cared, he would make it a lot clearer why he put us here in this story, wouldn’t He? So just shut your mouth and leave us alone.

(ST leans back and stares at the ceiling. J smiles weakly.)
(J) You’ll have to excuse Simon.

(ST doesn’t answer, just stares at the ceiling. Then he leans forward and taps S on the shoulder.)

(ST) Give me your hat and coat.

(S) WHAT?!

(ST) Don’t ask any questions. Just give me your hat and coat. And I’ll give you my hat and coat in exchange.

(S) Go away. You’re getting weirder by the second.

(ST keeps pestering S until S threatens to call the conductor)
(ST) Do you really want to call attention to yourselves by calling the conductor? Or would you prefer that I call attention to the nearest police?

(J looks at S pleadingly. S sighs and hands the man his coat and hat. The man puts it on, pulling the hat low over his face.)

(Conductor) Next stop!

(Narrator) This was the stop where Simon and Johnny were supposed to get off. This was also the stop where the stranger was supposed to get off. As the man squeezed down the aisle, he suggested that Simon ‘keep a safe distance away.’
Then the man stepped off the train. Two gun shots were fired. The man collapsed to the ground with two gunshot wounds.
MYSTERY SOLVED…
What really happened?…

(ST) The Author looked down at his paper and rubbed his tired eyes. He had to do it, he decided. It was the only way to save Simon.

(Narrator) The Author knew that Simon’s brother had found out about the stolen money. And he knew the angry brother would be waiting at the train station with a gun in his hand.

So the Author wrote himself into the story by actually becoming the man on the train. And he disguised himself as Simon by wearing his coat and hat. If he hadn’t, Simon would have been the one to receive the bullets. Simon would have been the one shot by his brother. But was Simon worth saving? The Author thought so. He thought it was worth entering His own story. He thought it was worth becoming one of the characters. And he thought it was worth dying for his creation.